HOUSTON — Winning the locker room was a goal of rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud coming into the Houston Texans organization. Monday, part of that process became a reality as he was named one of four players to serve as a team captain for the 2023 NFL season. The second overall selection in the 2023 NFL Draft was a captain during his final season at Ohio State, where he was also a two-time Heisman Trophy finalist.
Laremy Tunsil, a three-time Pro Bowl selection and one of the best left tackles in the game, will also serve as a team captain for the second straight year for Houston. He took over captain duties last season when the responsibility was stripped from former disgruntled wide receiver Brandin Cooks after he was very transparent that he no longer wanted to be a part of the franchise.
Buy Texans TicketsHouston is headed into the second phase of their rebuilding process, and one of the staples of the team resides in the safety position with Jimmie Ward and Jalen Pitre.
Reppin' that © on their chest 🤘 pic.twitter.com/P2RynW0SU6
— Houston Texans (@HoustonTexans) September 4, 2023
Ward signed with the Texans this past off-season, following his former defensive coordinator, DeMeco Ryans, who the team hired as their new head coach earlier this year after former head coach Lovie Smith was fired. During his nine years with the San Francisco 49ers, he was named a team captain twice in the last two seasons.
The announcement of Jalen Pitre becoming a team captain was just a formality, as he has displayed authentic leadership and characteristics on and off the field since the Texans selected him in the second round of the 2022 draft. The hometown kid out of Stafford High School made a name for himself by recording 147 tackles and five sacks in his rookie season.
Houston will open their season on the road against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday. Kickoff is at noon (CST).
